Carnival Orders New Ship

Here’s something we haven’t heard much of since the industry’s rah-rah 1990s cruise ship buying binge: a new ship has been ordered. By Carnival, in fact, which has reached an agreement with Italian shipyard Fincantieri to build an as-yet unnamed 110,000-ton “Conquest-class” vessel. The ship will cost about $450 million or so and is slated for a late fall 2005 delivery. It will be the fourth ship in the Conquest class.
We haven’t even seen the first one yet: Carnival Conquest is under the final construction stages at Fincantieri and is on schedule to debut in November. The Conquest class of ships will be Carnival’s largest -- just slightly bigger than the Dynasty class. Carnival continues to design ships to attract the broadest range of cruise travelers -- from singles to families and even to business groups. Features include 22 lounges, nightspots and bars, that range from a three-deck-high, 1,500-seat theater hosting the usual lavish Las Vegas-style revues to a sports bar. The ships will feature a huge kids area -- spanning some 3,300 square feet and featuring a teen coffee bar/dance club. There are meeting and conference rooms not to mention the now ubiquitous Internet cafe.
Dining wise, highlights of Carnival Conquest’s meal choices include "Taste of the Nation" which will feature cuisine from a different country each day, a New York-style deli, a rotisserie serving broiled chicken and steak, and stations featuring traditional English-style fish and chips and Asian and American favorites, will offer extended hours to accommodate anytime dining. There will be a sushi bar, patisserie and 24-hour pizzeria; and recreated from Carnival’s Spirit Class will be its reservations-only "steakhouse-style" supper club serving where the highlight is crab claw’s from Miami Beach’s Joe’s Stone Crab.
Beyond Carnival Conquest and the not-yet-named fourth ship in the class, the other "members" include Carnival Glory, slated for debut in July 2003 -- it will sail seven day trips out of Port Canaveral -- and Carnival Valor, which has a 2004 delivery date (no itinerary has been announced). Carnival Conquest will sail from New Orleans when it launches in November.